1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inspection station that is used to visually inspect integrated circuits that are contained within a carrier tape and covered with a cover tape.
2. Background Information
Integrated circuits are typically cut from a wafer and then subsequently assembled into a package that is mounted to a printed circuit board. The integrated circuits (dice or packages) may be visually inspected to insure that each circuit meets certain manufacturing specifications. The integrated circuits are typically carried in a tray which has individual circuit compartments. The circuits can be inspected by placing the tray beneath a microscope. Each integrated circuit can be individually inspected by moving the tray to align a single die beneath the microscope. The microscope may be coupled to a camera and a monitor which displays a magnified image of the integrated circuits. A camera/monitor system is usually not used for trays because the eyepiece of the microscope remains stationary while the tray is positioned.
There has been developed another technique for transporting integrated circuits by placing the die onto a flexible carrier tape. The tape and integrated circuits are rolled onto a reel that can be easily shipped and stored. The assembly further includes a cover tape that secures the integrated circuits within the carrier tape. The cover tape is typically constructed from a semi-opaque material which prevents visual inspection of the integrated circuits. Any defective circuits must be rejected and replaced with a good circuit. While the tray's cover can be easily removed and replaced by hand, the carrier tape's cover tape must be removed and new tape applied by a mechanism. It would be desirable to provide an inspection station that would allow visual inspection of integrated circuits which are contained within a carrier tape.